Mandarin tree named &#39;kinnowls&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘KinnowLS’ is a mid- to late-season maturing (depending on climate) diploid mandarin that combines large-sized fruit of excellent quality and production with low seed content even in mixed plantings. It may be successful in the mid-to-late season marketing window that currently has few low-seeded, high quality cultivars.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

The mandarin cultivar of this invention is botanically identified as Citrus reticulata.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The variety denomination is ‘KinnowLS’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘KinnowLS’ is a mandarin selection developed at Riverside, Calif. and derived from an irradiated bud of the diploid mandarin cultivar ‘Kinnow’ (unpatented), a mid-to-late season maturing variety. ‘Kinnow’ is a hybrid of two citrus cultivars, ‘King’ (unpatented, Citrus reticulata ‘Blanco’) and ‘Willowleaf’ (unpatented, Citrus reticulata ‘Blanco’), which was first developed by H. B. Frost in Riverside, Calif. After evaluation, the ‘Kinnow’ was released as a new variety for commercial cultivation in 1935.

Irradiation of budwood from registered ‘Kinnow’ trees in Exeter, Calif., was accomplished in June of 1997 in Riverside, Calif. Specifically, irradiation of 150 buds of ‘Kinnow’ mandarin was accomplished using 40 Gray units of gamma irradiation from a Cobalt-60 irradiation source. Buds from this irradiation were propagated onto Carrizo rootstocks in a greenhouse in Exeter, Calif. where they were grown to field-plantable-sized trees. Out of these irradiations, a total of 73 trees were obtained. This low yield of trees is typical because the radiation kills many of the buds. These trees were then planted in May 1998 in Exeter, Calif. Fruit production and evaluation began in 2001. One selection from this irradiated population (propagated on Carrizo rootstock) distinguished itself from the others in having tree growth typical of ‘Kinnow’ mandarin, very low seed counts in comparison to the original ‘Kinnow’ cultivar, and excellent fruit quality and normal fruit production characteristic of the ‘Kinnow’ parent. After two seasons of fruiting, this selection was given the name ‘Kinnow IR5’ and selected for further trials. In January 2003, buds of this selection were taken and propagated onto Carrizo and C35 citrange rootstock for field trials. In June of 2004, 72 trees, produced in Exeter, Calif., were planted at six sites (twelve trees at each site): Arvin, Irvine, Lindcove, Thermal, Riverside, and Woodlake, Calif. All trials were propagated equally on Carrizo and C35 citrange rootstocks. All trials were in mixed-plantings with other cultivars, including seedy cultivars with high pollen viability. Fruit production of these propagated trees commenced in 2006 (a few trees at each site) and 2007 (all trees at all sites). In October 2008, budwood from the selected tree was sent to Exeter, Calif. for evaluation of disease status and, as needed, elimination of viruses and other pathogens. Six trees were then established as disease-free ‘mother’ trees in a greenhouse in Exeter, Calif. The properties of ‘KinnowLS’ were found to be true to type and transmissible by asexual reproduction in comparing these plantings with the original ‘KinnowLS’ selection.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘KinnowLS’ is a mid-season maturing diploid mandarin that combines large-sized fruit of excellent quality and production with low seed content even in mixed plantings. It may be successful in the mid-to-late season marketing window that currently has few low-seeded, high quality cultivars.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows fruit of ‘KinnowLS’ taken at Riverside in February.

FIG. 2 shows a side-by-side comparison of (left) ‘KinnowLS’ and (right) ‘Kinnow’.

FIG. 3 shows the eleven-year old mother tree on Carrizo citrange rootstock.

FIG. 4 shows a three-year old ‘KinnowLS’ tree in Exeter, Calif.

FIG. 5 shows the bud union of ‘KinnowLS’ on ‘Carrizo’ citrange rootstock, eleven-years old.

FIG. 6 shows fruit clusters on a three-year old ‘KinnowLS’ tree in Exeter, Calif. in the month of February.

FIG. 7 shows leaves of ‘KinnowLS’.

FIG. 8 shows open and closed flowers of ‘KinnowLS’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

‘KinnowLS’ is a mandarin selection developed at Riverside and Exeter, Calif. by mutation breeding of the mandarin cultivar ‘Kinnow’, for which harvest is typically begun from mid-January to mid-February, depending on location. Evaluation of ‘KinnowLS’ began on the original tree at Exeter, Calif. in 2001 and has continued annually until the present. ‘KinnowLS’ has been asexually reproduced by grafting (budding), using the standard T-bud method generally used to propagate citrus in California. Asexual propagation of the selected tree was first accomplished in January 2003 at Exeter, Calif. to produce 72 trial trees on Carrizo and C35 rootstocks.

‘KinnowLS’ distinguishes itself by being low seeded (2-3 seeds/fruit) in all situations of cross-pollination, while ‘Kinnow’ has 15-30 seeds per fruit in cross-pollinated situations. At Riverside, Calif. ‘KinnowLS’ matures in winter (mid-January) and holds its fruit quality characteristics through April. Fruit size is large for mandarins, classed as Jumbo by State of California standards and size 21 for industry packing standards. Fruit are oblate in shape with an orange rind color and a very smooth rind texture. Flesh is deep orange in color and finely-textured. Fruit are easy to peel and juicy, with a rich, sweet and distinctive flavor when mature. Tree growth habit is vertical and vigorous, producing a large and rather dense upright crown with excellent production commencing in the third year after planting. ‘KinnowLS’ is well adapted to growing in all California climate zones normally associated with citrus, including desert regions, because the fruit, which matures during January through April at most locations, does well in hot climates where it matures in December. Alternate bearing can be a problem in trees that are not culturally managed to reduce this tendency.

‘KinnowLS’ mandarin can be grown according to accepted cultural practices for larger, more vigorous mandarin varieties, including planting densities of 180-250 trees per acre, normal fertilization and pest control practices, and the use of standard rootstocks for mandarins. Other rootstocks adapted to more marginal growing conditions of salinity, high pH or very heavy soils, including the lemon types C. macrophylla, Volkameriana, and rough lemon, may be useful in those conditions but overall fruit quality would likely be affected negatively. Sour orange or mandarin type rootstocks such as Cleopatra might be more suitable in these marginal conditions since fruit quality would not be affected to the extent the lemon-type rootstocks impart.

‘KinnowLS’ is a very vigorously growing tree and therefore pruning will likely be necessary to control this vigor. Such pruning should include topping the trees to control vertical growth and selective interior pruning to enhance production and health of the tree. These pruning procedures can be applied after the second year of full fruit production and regularly thereafter.

The Royal Horticulture Society (R.H.S.) color numbering system is used herein for the color description of the rind, seed, bark, leaf, flower, flesh color and other interest of the ‘KinnowLS’ mandarin cultivar.

Comparison With Existing Mandarins

A comparison of ‘KinnowLS’ with other low-seeded late-season mandarins is provided in Table 1 below. ‘KinnowLS’ is distinctive in having a very wide climatic growing area (including very hot desert areas), excellent production (though some tendency to alternate bear), and fruit quality characteristics (large size, shape, very smooth rind texture, and very rich, sweet flavor) that may be preferred in some markets.

TABLE 1 Comparison of ‘KinnowLS’ with other late season, low-seeded mandarins. Data for Riverside, California. ‘TDE2’ ‘TDE3’ ‘TDE4’ ‘Tango’ (U.S. Plant (U.S. Plant (U.S. Plant (U.S. Plant Pat. No. Pat. No. Pat. No. ‘Gold Nugget’ Pat. No. Trait ‘KinnowLS’ PP15,461) PP15,703) PP16,289) (unpatented) PP17,863) Maturity Mid-Feb Feb. Jan.-Feb. Feb. Feb.-Mar. Feb. Seeds per fruit 2.45 0.02 0.29 0.32 <0.1 0.22 RHS rind color Orange 25A Orange- Orange-Red Orange-Red Orange 25A Orange N25A Red N30D N30C N30C Rind texture very smooth slight pit papillate smooth bumpy smooth Fruit weight (g) 145 185 134 175 108 90 Fruit 0.81 0.78 0.85 0.78 0.88 0.81 height/width Alternate medium-high medium medium-high medium-high high medium bearing

Trees, Foliage, and Flowers

Tree size and growth characteristics of ‘KinnowLS’ have been consistent with those of ‘Kinnow’ throughout the evaluations. Growth of both the ‘Kinnow’ and ‘KinnowLS’ varieties have been quite vigorous throughout the evaluation period, producing large, vertically growing trees with dense crowns. The eleven-year-old ‘KinnowLS’ mother tree at Lindcove, Calif. on Carrizo citrange rootstock, shown in FIG. 3, is 3.1 m high and 3.0 m wide with an upright, though beginning to spread, crown exhibiting a dense growth habit and yielding a canopy volume of 14.6 m³. In comparison, an eleven-year-old ‘Kinnow’ control tree has averaged 3.1 m tall and 2.9 m wide, yielding a canopy volume of 13.7m³ on Carrizo citrange rootstock. These trees are smaller than normal because they were in a very high density planting until surrounding trees were removed at 7 years-of-age. In the younger, multi-location trials with more typical tree spacing, five-year-old ‘KinnowLS’ trees on Carrizo rootstock have averaged 3.1 m in height and 2.9 m in diameter with canopy volumes of 13.7m³. Trees on C35 rootstock averaged 3.2 m in height and 3.0 m in diameter with canopy volumes of 15.1m³.

Bud unions are slightly benched, as shown in FIG. 5, resulting in a scion circumference for the eleven-year-old ‘KinnowLS’ mother tree on Carrizo rootstock of 44.5 cm with the rootstock circumference 56.5 cm measured 38 and 18 cm above the soil level, respectively. Scion circumference for five-year-old ‘KinnowLS’ trees on Carrizo rootstock averaged 40.0 cm with the rootstock circumference averaging 50.5 cm when measured about 25 and 15 cm above the soil level, respectively. Scion circumference for five-year-old ‘KinnowLS’ trees on C35 rootstock averaged 41.0 cm with the rootstock circumference averaging 51.5 cm when measured about 25 and 15 cm above the soil level, respectively.

Leaves of ‘KinnowLS’, as shown in FIG. 7, are moderately large for a mandarin (80.8 mm in length×25.5 mm in width), lanceolate in shape and concave in cross-section and are dark-green in color (adaxial—RHS Green 137A, abaxial—RHS Yellow-Green 146B). The leaves have an acute apex with occasional weak emargination and an acute base. Petioles are medium in length (10.1 mm) and normally lack wings. The selection further lacks thorns.

As shown in FIG. 8, flowers of ‘KinnowLS’ are hermaphroditic, borne in clusters, medium in length, with greenish-white (RHS Green White 157D, adaxial and abaxial) petals averaging 13.1 mm in length and 6.2 mm in width, and with about 18 anthers which are yellowish in color (Yellow 13B). The five sepals are rudimentary, yellow-green (RHS Yellow Green 1D) in color and partly fused into a calyx. The free portion of the sepals averages 1.53 mm in length and 1.97 mm in width. The fused portion is about 1.0 mm in length. Pollen is yellowish in color (RHS Yellow 12B).

TABLE 2 Tree, leaf, flower and seed characteristics (for eleven-year-old tree) of ‘KinnowLS’ mandarin on Carrizo. 1. Tree height 3.1 m 2. Crown diameter 3.0 m 3. Crown shape/density Upright, spreading with age and dense 4. Scion circumference 44.5 cm 5. Height scion measured 38 cm above soil surface 6. Rootstock circumference 56.5 cm 7. Height Carrizo rootstock 18 cm measured above soil surface 8. Scion circumference^(z) 40.0 cm 9. Rootstock circumference^(z) 50.5 cm 10. Scion circumference^(y) 41.0 cm 11. Rootstock circumference^(y) 51.5 cm 12. Bud-union characteristics Slightly bnzhed (scion diameter (on citrange rootstock) smaller than rootstock) 13. Rootstock-scion compatability No evidence of incompatability in trees Carrizo citrange at 11 years old (mother tree) or on C35 citrange at 7 years old (trial trees) 14. Tree vigor Vigorous 15. Bark color RHS Grey-Brown N199A 16. Leaf shape Lanceolate 17. Leaf cross-section Concave 18. Leaf blade length 80.8 mm 19. Leaf blade width 25.5 mm 20. Leaf apex Acute with weak emargination 21. Leaf base Acute 22. Leaf margins Very slightly crenate 23. Leaf abaxial color RHS Yellow-Green 146B 24. Leaf adaxial color RHS Green 137A 25. Petiole length 10.1 mm ± 0.7 26. Petiole width 1.5 mm 27. Petiole wings Absent 28. Petiole color RHS Green 137A 29. Thorniness Not present 30. Inflorescence type Clustered 31. Flowering habit Flowers once per year 32. Flower structure Complete 33. Bud length (one day before opening) 12.2 mm 34. Bud width (one day before opening) 7.5 mm 35. Bud shape (one day before opening) oblong 36. Petal number 5 37. Sepal number 5 38. Petal length 13.1 mm 39. Petal width 6.2 mm 40. Petal apex acute 41. Petal base truncate 42. Petal color (adaxial) RHS Green-White 157D 43. Petal color (abaxial) RHS Green-White 157D 44. Petal shape elliptic 45. Petal margin smooth 46. Sepal number 5 47. Sepal color RHS Yellow-Green 1D 48. Sepal shape partly fused, tips attenuate 49. Sepal length (free portion) 1.53 mm 50. Sepal width 1.97 mm 51. Number of anthers 18 (range 17-20) 52. Anther color RHS Yellow 13B 53. Pollen color RHS Yellow 12B 54. Pollen viability Moderately low (15-25%) ^(z,y)Bud union measurements are averages for 5-year-old trial trees on Carrizo^(z) or C35^(y) measured about 10 cm above (for scion) and 10 cm below (for rootstock) budunion, generally about 15 and 25 cm above soil.

Pollen viability for ‘KinnowLS’ is moderately low (15-25% germination) in comparison to ‘Kinnow’ (˜70% germination), and pollen production in comparison to normal ‘Kinnow’ is significantly reduced. These pollen characteristics suggest that ‘KinnowLS’ will not cause appreciable seediness in adjacent varieties. Crosses of ‘KinnowLS’ pollen onto Clemenules and W. Murcott gave low fruit set (6 and 9% respectively) and fruit set from these pollinations had few seeds (average 1.8 and 2.2 seeds/fruit respectively).

Fruiting, Fruit and Production Characteristics

As shown in FIG. 1, fruit of ‘KinnowLS’ are oblate in shape with no neck. The fruit has a rounded basal end which is flattened at the stem attachment point with a truncate (slightly depressed) distal end. The fruit is large-sized for a mandarin (classed as Jumbo by State of California standards and size 21 for industry packing standards) averaging 2.7 in (68.0 mm) in diameter and 2.2 in (55.2 mm) in height. Fruit average 0.32 lb (145 g) in weight. It has a very smooth, orange color rind and slightly conspicuous, slightly depressed oil glands. The rind is slightly adherent at maturity and relatively thin, averaging 0.1 in (2.5 mm) in thickness. Fruit peel easily. The fruit interior has a moderately fine flesh texture with 10-11 segments and is quite juicy, averaging 49% juice. Fruit from trees on Carrizo and C35 citrange rootstocks average 12.2-13.9% soluble solids and 1.26-2.09% acid in mid-January at four trial locations in California increasing in soluble solids to 13.5-15.8% with acid decreasing to 0.97-1.98% in mid-February. By mid-March juice averaged 13.3-17.0% soluble solids and 0.80-1.87% acid. Fruit generally continue to increase in soluble solids and decrease in acidity well into April and May at all trial sites. See Tables 4a-4b below for mean and standard deviation of soluble solids, acid and solids/acid ratio for ‘KinnowLS’ on various rootstocks from 2007 to 2009. The earliest recommended harvest date occurs when fruit reach average soluble solids content of at least 12% and an average acid content of less than 1.2%. This may occur as early as late November in hot desert regions (Coachella Valley of California), but can be as late as early April in cool locations (Irvine, Calif.) or years (2008-9).

Based on evaluation of an average of 1500 fruit per location, fruit average 2.45 seeds per fruit in the presence of heavy cross-pollination at all locations from 2007 to 2009. Rarely, individual fruit may have 4-7 seeds. In the 2010-11 season one tree was identified with a branch on which most fruit had high seed content (more than 10 seeds/fruit). However, for 5200 fruit sampled from trial trees during 2009-10 and 2010-11, the percentage of seedy fruit was about 0.06%. Seeds are polyembryonic. See Table 5 below for average number of seeds per fruit for ‘KinnowLS’ and ‘Kinnow’ (control trees) from 2007 to 2009. Seeds are polyembryonic, with a wrinkled surface and greyed yellow seed coat (RHS 161C). Seeds average about 140 mg in weight, with about 10% of seeds much smaller and apparently lacking developed embryos.

TABLE 3 Fruit characteristics of ‘KinnowLS’ mandarin at maturity 1. Fruit shape Oblate 2. Fruit diameter 68.0 mm ± 2.8 3. Fruit hight 55.2 mm ± 2.1 4. Aspect ratio (height/diameter) 0.81 5. Fruit: shape of basal end Rounded (flattened at stem) 6. Fruit: shape of distal end Truncate (slightly depressed) 7. Fruit: distal end areola Present but faint 8. Fruit: distal end areola diameter 18.8 mm 9. Fruit neck Not present 10. Style Not persistent 11. Rind texture Very smooth 12. Oil glands Slightly conspicuous, slightly depressed 13. Rind Color RHS Orange 25A 14. Ring thickness 2.5 mm 15. Albedo thickness 1.5 mm 16. Albedo color RHS Orange-White 159A 17. Rind adherence Medium-Low 18. Rind separation Slight 19. Flesh (pulp) color RHS Orange N25B 20. Flesh (pulp) texture Moderately fine 21. Number of segments 10-11 22. Axis: structute Semi-solid 23. Axis: size Medium 24. Navel presence Not present 25. # Seeds/fruit (mean) 2.45 (cross-pollinated onditions) 26. Seed embryony Polyembryonic 27. Seed coat color Greyed-Yellow 161C 28. Seed cotyledon color Greyed-Yellow 160C 29. Seed inner coat color Greyed-Bornw 199D 30. Seed weight 140 mg 31. Seed length 12.2 mm 32. Seed width 6.0 mm 33. Seed thickness 4.2 mm 34. Fruit weight 145 g 35. % Juice 49.1% 36. % Soluble solids (at peak maturity) 14.7% 37. % Acid (at peak maturity) 1.18% 38. Season of maturity Late (January-May in Northern Hemisphere) 39. Fruit holding ability Excellent (6-8 weeks) on tree past maturity 40. Fruit quality after storage Very Good (5.6° C., 30 days)

TABLE 4a Mean of soluble solids, acid and solids/acid ratio for ‘KinnowLS’ on Carrizo and C35 citrange rootstock at four trial sites for the 2007/8 crop year. Tree Age Soluble Soluble S/A S/A Dates In 2008 Solids % Solids % % Acid % Acid Ratio Ratio Site Sampled # Trees (yrs) Carrizo C35 Carrizo C35 Carrizo C35 Riverside Jan. 15, 2008 6 4 13.2 13.1 1.60 1.66  8.3  7.9 Riverside Feb. 14, 2008 5 4 14.6 14.8 1.41 1.45 10.4 10.2 Riverside Mar. 12, 2008 3 4 16.5 16.6 1.19 1.25 13.7 13.3 Lindcove Jan. 14, 2008 6 4 13.0 12.8 1.29 1.36 10.1  9.4 Lindcove Feb. 12, 2008 6 4 14.5 14.3 1.20 1.26 12.1 11.3 Lindcove Mar. 13, 2008 3 4 16.4 16.9 0.91 0.90 18.0 18.8 Irvine Jan. 16, 2008 6 4 12.2 12.3 1.88 1.69  6.5  7.3 Irvine Feb. 15, 2008 6 4 13.9 13.5 1.50 1.56  9.3  8.7 Irvine Mar. 11, 2008 4 4 15.1 14.6 1.21 1.18 12.5 12.4 Arvin Jan. 15, 2008 6 4 13.6 13.1 1.20 1.23 11.3 10.7 Arvin Feb. 13, 2008 6 4 14.8 14.4 1.03 1.07 14.4 13.5 Arvin Mar. 14, 2008 4 4 15.7 15.6 0.88 0.90 17.8 17.3

TABLE 4b Mean of soluble solids, acid and solids/acid ratio for ‘KinnowLS’ on Carrizo and C35 citrange rootstock at four trial sites for the 2008/9 crop year. Tree Age Soluble Soluble S/A S/A Dates In 2009 Solids % Solids % % Acid % Acid Ratio Ratio Site Sampled # Trees (yrs) Carrizo C35 Carrizo C35 Carrizo C35 Riverside Jan. 15, 2009 6 5 15.6 16.5 2.09 2.21  7.5  7.5 Riverside Feb. 4, 2009 5 5 15.8 15.8 1.78 1.98  8.9  8.0 Riverside Feb. 25, 2009 5 5 16.2 16.5 1.68 1.99  9.6  8.3 Riverside Mar. 16, 2009 3 5 16.9 17.0 1.50 1.87 11.3  9.1 Lindcove Jan. 13, 2009 6 5 13.4 13.9 1.26 1.47 10.6  9.5 Lindcove Feb. 2, 2009 6 5 13.4 14.5 1.18 1.17 11.4 12.4 Lindcove Mar. 14, 2009 3 5 14.0 14.4 0.80 0.97 17.5 14.8 Lindcove Apr. 1, 2009 3 5 15.6 15.5 0.70 0.89 22.3 17.4 Irvine Jan. 7, 2009 6 5 13.7 13.9 1.88 2.11  7.3  6.6 Irvine Jan. 26, 2009 6 5 13.5 14.3 1.79 2.62  7.5  5.5 Irvine Feb. 24, 2009 6 5 13.4 14.6 1.64 1.94  8.2  7.5 Irvine Mar. 16, 2009 4 5 13.4 14.7 1.37 1.77  9.8  8.3 Irvine Mar. 30, 2009 4 5 13.4 14.9 1.18 1.59 11.4  9.4 Arvin Jan. 14, 2009 6 5 13.3 12.3 1.17 1.16 11.4 10.6 Arvin Feb. 3, 2009 6 5 12.6 12.1 0.97 1.11 13.0 10.9 Arvin Mar. 14, 2009 4 5 13.3 13.4 0.80 0.87 16.6 15.4 Arvin Apr. 1, 2009 4 5 15.3 14.1 0.76 0.75 20.1 18.8

TABLE 5 Seed counts (average number of seeds per fruit) for ‘KinnowLS’ and ‘Kinnow’ (control trees) at four trial sites over two years, 2007/2008 and 2008/2009. Tree Age 2007/8 2008/9 % Fruit with # In 2009 Mean Seeds/Fruit Mean Seeds/Fruit 0-3 seeds Site Selection Trees (yrs) Rootstock (range/tree) (range/tree) (2008/9) Riverside ‘KinnowLS’ 6  5 Carrizo 2.4 (1.6-3.0) 2.3 (2.1-3.0) 87.3 Riverside ‘KinnowLS’ 5  5 C35 2.2 (1.5-2.9) 2.4 (1.9-3.1) 88.8 Riverside ‘Kinnow’ 3  5 Carrizo/C35 18.9 (17.4-20.6) 20.8 (18.8-22.1) 0  control Lindcove ‘KinnowLS’ 6  5 Carrizo 2.8 (2.3-3.1) 2.6 (2.2-2.9) 86.9 Lindcove ‘KinnowLS’ 6  5 C35 2.4 (1.7-2.9) 2.5 (2.0-3.0) 90.7 Lindcove ‘Kinnow’ 3  5 Carrizo/C35 26.2 (22.1-27.5) 22.3 (19.7-23.7) 0  control Lindcove ‘KinnowLS’ 1 11 Carrizo 2.4 2.1 89.1 (mother tree) Irvine ‘KinnowLS’ 6  5 Carrizo 2.0 (1.7-2.8) 1.8 (0.8-2.3) 86.5 Irvine ‘KinnowLS’ 6  5 C35 1.9 (1.4-2.6) 2.4 (1.4-2.9) 91.4 Irvine ‘Kinnow’ 4  5 Carrizo/C35 20.6 (17.8-22.1) 18.6 (16.9-19.7) 0  control Arvin ‘KinnowLS’ 6  5 Carrizo 1.6 (0.8-1.9) 1.8 (0.9-2.2) 91.2 Arvin ‘KinnowLS’ 6  5 C35 1.4 (1.0-2.0) 1.5 (0.7-2.1) 87.1 Arvin ‘Kinnow’ 4  5 Carrizo/C35 22.1 (18.6-24.5) 17.9 (17.3-18.4) 0  control

Full fruit production of ‘KinnowLS’ normally begins in the third year after planting, however trees can be precocious and set some fruit in the second year after planting. FIGS. 4 and 6 illustrate fruit production on a three-year old tree. ‘KinnowLS’, is similar to ‘Kinnow’ in reaching high production levels relatively quickly. Mean yield of five year-old trees ranged from 152-211 lb (69-96 kg) on Carrizo rootstock and 165-196 lb (75-89 kg) on C35 rootstock at the four fruiting trial sites. The original ‘KinnowLS’ mother tree at Lindcove, Calif. produced 156 lb (71 kg) in the fifth year and in years 9, 10 and 11 yielded 191, 101, 240 lb of fruit respectively, which indicates that the variety has somewhat of a tendency to alternate bearing. In this respect, it is similar to ‘Kinnow’, which can exhibit severe alternate bearing if the crop is not managed to reduce overproduction in ‘on’ years.

TABLE 6 Crop yields for ‘KinnowLS’ and ‘Kinnow’ (control trees) at three trial sites over two years, 2007/2008 and 2008/2009. Tree Age 2007/8 2007/8 2008/9 2008/9 # in 2009 Mean Yield Range Mean Yield Range Site Selection Trees (yrs) Rootstock Yield (kg) (kg) Yield (kg) (kg) Riverside ‘KinnowLS’ 6  5 Carrizo 40 28-46  71 59-83 Riverside ‘KinnowLS’ 5  5 C35 32 20-36  75 48-89 Riverside ‘Kinnow’ control 3  5 Carrizo/C35 36 32-39  62 51-74 Lindcove ‘KinnowLS’ 6  5 Carrizo 59 49-66  69 22-90 Lindcove ‘KinnowLS’ 6  5 C35 63 54-71  78 55-87 Lindcove ‘Kinnow’ control 3  5 Carrizo/C35 52 45-58  28 17-31 Lindcove ‘KinnowLS’ 1 11 Carrizo 46 46 109 109 (mother tree) Irvine ‘KinnowLS’ 6  5 Carrizo 44 35-50  72 33-91 Irvine ‘KinnowLS’ 6  5 C35 47 34-55  76 53-88 Irvine ‘Kinnow’ control 4  5 Carrizo/C35 39 30-44  58 31-80 Arvin ‘KinnowLS’ 6  5 Carrizo 70 61-86  96  81-110 Arvin ‘KinnowLS’ 6  5 C35 73 60-89  89  78-112 Arvin ‘Kinnow’ control 4  5 Carrizo/C35 64 55-74  91  75-105

Fruit storage trials included storage of washed but not waxed fruit at 5.6° C. for up to 30 days with fruit samples taken every 15 days for analysis. Data indicates that the storage characteristics of ‘KinnowLS’ are very good with very little measureable loss of rind quality or color, no significant loss in juice quality or deterioration in taste, and no significant indication of fungal or other disease problems over the 30 day storage period. Overall ‘KinnowLS’ can be considered to be very good in storage ability for 4-6 weeks under controlled environment storage conditions.

No susceptibilities to plant or fruit diseases, or to pests, beyond those normally associated with citrus species, have been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct mandarin tree having the characteristics substantially as described and illustrated herein. 